Early Birders’ Observations for May 20, 2018

Mae & Bill M led the May 20, 2018,  Early Birders Morning Walk . Despite light rain and wet woods, we had 19 birders and 31 species of birds!

Veery and eggs. Carved by Bob Spear.

Enjoy our week’s walk’s summary:

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, Vermont, US
May 20, 2018 6:53 AM - 8:56 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.01 mile(s)
Comments:     Early Birders walk led by Mae Mayville 
31 species

Mourning Dove  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Red-eyed Vireo  4
Blue Jay  6
Black-capped Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  3
Brown Creeper  1
House Wren  2
Veery  4
Wood Thrush  2
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  2
Ovenbird  11
Black-and-white Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  2
Magnolia Warbler  1
Blackburnian Warbler  2
Chestnut-sided Warbler  5
Black-throated Blue Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  3
Dark-eyed Junco  1
Scarlet Tanager  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  4
Baltimore Oriole  1
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Common Grackle  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45852294

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Join us for more early Birders Morning walks, Sundays through June. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome all birders!

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum. Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Best for adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Early Birders’ Observations for May 13, 2018

Mae M led the May 13, 2018,  Early Birders Morning Walk . Thirty-eight species!

Enjoy our week’s walk’s summary:

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, Vermont, US
May 13, 2018 6:52 AM - 8:52 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.8 mile(s)
Comments:     Early Birders Walk led by Mae Mayville 
38 species

Ruffed Grouse  1
Mourning Dove  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  2
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  1
Eastern Phoebe  3
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Blue Jay  9
American Crow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Tufted Titmouse  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  2
Veery  1
Swainson's Thrush  1     Dull, olive-brown; No rufous on tail; buffy cheeks.
Hermit Thrush  1
Wood Thrush  2
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  2
Ovenbird  8
Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  2
Northern Parula  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2
Black-throated Blue Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Song Sparrow  1
Scarlet Tanager  2
Northern Cardinal  1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  3
Baltimore Oriole  1
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Common Grackle  1
Purple Finch  2
American Goldfinch  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S45619747

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Join us for more early Birders Mornign walks, Sundays in May and June. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders. Let us know if you’re interested in volunteering.

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Best for adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Call to Artists: Common Grounds

 

Common Grounds

A Call to Artists from the Birds of Vermont Museum
in recognition of 100 years of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and its conservation consequences

Birds link us.  We need the same things: food, water, air, places to live. We humans have sometimes used laws to protect those needs we have in common. In 1918, the US Congress put into place the Migratory Bird Treaty Act—one of the first laws setting limits on what we could and could not do specifically with respect to migratory birds. Since then, we’ve asked new questions, discovered new ramifications, and come to new understandings about what the work of conservation entails. In order for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to be successful, people have to work together across geographic, political, socioeconomic, and ecological boundaries. We need to find—or create—common ground. What does that look like?

We seek bird-oriented artworks that involve themes of commonality, conservation, migration, habitat, protection, and/or coordination among peoples, species, places, and/or time.

The show runs from May 1 to October 31 in the Museum’s multi-purpose room, halls, and foyer. Most art will be hung on the walls. We have shelf space for smaller three-dimensional works and some ceiling space if your work is suitable there. Feel free to visit and scope out the options.

Art in any media, by new or returning artists, of any age, may be considered.  Artists are invited to submit up to 3 works, by sending no more than three (3) .jpgs showing your work to museum@birdsofvermont.org. Please put “Submission for Common Grounds art show” in the email subject. If you do not have email, you may send up to three prints to the Museum, attention Common Grounds art show. Please include your contact information and a description of work (media, artwork size, when made, etc.).

Entries are due by Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

In choosing works for a show, we strive to integrate diversity of work into a cohesive whole. Museum staff will select pieces by April 5 and will let artists know by email if possible. The Museum asks for permission to reproduce images of the selected works in print and online as part of publicity for the exhibit; if you prefer partial or cropped images for this, or have preferred images, please tell us or supply them.

Selected pieces should arrive at the Museum on or before April 20 and be ready to hang (if applicable). Artists are responsible for shipping or drop-off/pick-up. Pick-up should occur by November 30, 2018.

Artists who show their work here are invited to sell originals, prints, and/or cards through us on consignment. Details are available on request. We are always thrilled to arrange artist workshops at the Museum with our exhibitors. Please tell us if you are interested in this.

Please call or email Kir Talmage or Allison Gergely with any questions. We can be reached at 802 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org.

Thank You Volunteers!

On Sunday, September 10, many volunteers chose to spend a beautiful sunny day helping out in and around the Museum.

We are beyond grateful.

With everyone’s help we trimmed trails, cut trees, weeded gardens, organized storage areas, sorted donated items, entered bird lists into ebird, cleaned and dusted exhibits, updated signage, replaced window netting, prepped for programs,  photographed pollinators, updated bulletin boards, and removed invasive plants.  Many thanks to Darlene, Erny, Bob, Shirley, Elizabeth, Pat, Ginger, Brian, Owen, Hunter, Rita, Justin, Chase, Bill, Mae, John, Lori, Josh, Morgan, Abi, and Levi.

We ended the day with Mike Kessler, another volunteer, leading a tracking walk where the group found signs of bear, bobcat, moose, red squirrel, deer, and porcupine.

Thank you!

Art Review: ‘Birding by the Numbers,’ Birds of Vermont Museum

Most art shows can be viewed without particular attention to their settings, but ‘Birding by the Numbers’ is inseparable from its locale. The Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington organized the community art exhibit to celebrate its 30th anniversary. …Numbers are the key to ornithology… The artists’ responses to this intersection of ideas range from literal to literary.

Source: Art Review: ‘Birding by the Numbers,’ Birds of Vermont Museum

<!– BACKUP : PDF:  Art Review: Birding by the Numbers : Seven Days 2017-08-16 –>

 

Volunteer Work Day 2017

We have awesome volunteers.
On Saturday, April 15, we accomplished over 100 hours of work together!

Species List from February 2017 Bird Monitoring Walk

Crazily warm day for a walk last Saturday! Birds are singing: there was a tremendous cacophony of competing Black-capped chickadees singing on Thursday the 23rd, which was a delight. Today the Northern Cardinal was singing in the dogwoods. And the Birders left lots of treats in the Museum fridge; I think I gained 10 pounds just nibbling on them as I assembled this post for you… Thanks everyone, for baked goodies, bird observations, and community companionship.

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, Vermont, US
 Feb 25, 2017 8:05 AM
 Protocol: Traveling
 Party Size: 8
 Duration: 1 hour(s), 35 minute(s)
 Distance: 1.609 kilometer(s) 
 Comments:     
 10 species
 
 Canada Goose 12
     Flyover
 Mourning Dove 17
 Downy Woodpecker 1
 Blue Jay 8
 American Crow 10
 Black-capped Chickadee 12
 Tufted Titmouse 2
 White-breasted Nuthatch 1
 Dark-eyed Junco 1
 Red-winged Blackbird 1
     In the feeder area, 1 male
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34782352

 Feb 25, 2017 8:00 AM - 10:35 AM
 Protocol: Stationary
 Comments:     Observed from the feeder window during the monitoring walk. Very warm conditions: 50 degrees.
 7 species
 
 Mourning Dove  2
 Downy Woodpecker  2
 Hairy Woodpecker  4
 Blue Jay  5
 Black-capped Chickadee  3
 Tufted Titmouse  2
 Red-winged Blackbird  3
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S34783779
 
These reports were generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

We’ll be out again on March 25 at 8:00 a.m. for our next Monthly Bird Monitoring Walk. Tell us you’ll be joining us!

Remember: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

Species List: December 2016 Bird Monitoring

It’s a quiet week in  – oh, wait. Right. We went walking! Also not-walking. Both activities let us record birds.

Mourning Dove on a feeder roof – Love those pink toes.

Thank you, Executive Director Erin Talmage, for leading this month’s walk. Happy New Year!

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, Vermont, US
 Dec 31, 2016 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
 Protocol: Traveling
 1.5 kilometer(s)
 Comments:     Monthly monitoring walk led by Erin Talmage
 7 species
 
 Mourning Dove  6
 Downy Woodpecker  1
 Blue Jay  4
 American Crow  3
 Black-capped Chickadee  8
 Tufted Titmouse  1
 White-breasted Nuthatch  2
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33306204

 Dec 31, 2016 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
 Protocol: Stationary
 Comments:     Observation window
 12 species
 
 Mourning Dove  7
 Downy Woodpecker  3
 Hairy Woodpecker  4
 Blue Jay  18
 American Crow  1
 Black-capped Chickadee  8
 Tufted Titmouse  3
 Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
 White-breasted Nuthatch  1
 Dark-eyed Junco  7
 White-throated Sparrow  2
 Northern Cardinal  2
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33307788
 
These reports were generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

We’ll be out again on January 28th at 7:30 a.m. for our next Monthly Bird Monitoring Walk. Tell us you’ll be joining us! Remember: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

Call to Artists: Birding By the Numbers

Birding by the Numbers

A Call to Artists from the Birds of Vermont Museum in celebration of our 30^th Anniversary

We at the Museum like to say we are “where natural history meets art.” But flip through the files of time while birding in the last 30 years… what would ornithology be without math? What new facts and figures about feathered phenomena do you most appreciate? Join us as we play with birds and numbers!

We seek bird-focused art that incorporates a feeling for number with artistic expression. We are open to any media. Let your art—from imaginary to irrational, with birds silly and significant—populate our creative space!

Here is a tiny fraction of funky factoids to tickle your fancy and perhaps illustrate what we mean:

• There are over 25,000 feathers on a Tundra Swan, some 80% of them on its head and neck alone. (from “Waterfowl Feathers” at Ducks Unlimited)
• It takes four and twenty blackbirds to make a pie suitable for a king. (Mother Goose, with more info at Wikipedia)
• Barred Owls are home-bodies. Of 158 banded Barred Owls, none had moved more than 6 miles. (from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
• Bob Spear spent 1,230 hours carving and painting the Wild Turkey: that’s almost 31 weeks of a full-time job (assuming no coffee breaks) (and Bob didn’t drink coffee).

The show runs from May 1 to October 31 in the Museum’s multi-purpose room, halls, and foyer. Most art will be hung on the walls. We have shelf space for three-dimensional works and some ceiling space if your work is suitable there. Feel free to visit and scope out the options! In choosing works for a show, we strive to integrate variety into a harmonious whole.

Both new and returning artists are invited to submit up to 3 works, by sending no more than three (3) .jpgs showing your work to museum@birdsofvermont.org. Please put “Submission for Birding by the Numbers” in the email subject. If you do not have email, you may send up to three prints to the Museum, attention Birding by the Numbers. Please include your contact information and a description of work (media, artwork size, when made, etc.).

Entries are due by Tuesday, March 21, 2017.

Museum staff will select pieces by March 29 and will let artists know by email if possible. The Museum asks for permission to reproduce images of the selected works in print and online as part of publicity for the exhibit; if you prefer partial or cropped images for this, or have preferred images, please tell us or supply them.

Selected pieces should arrive at the Museum during the first weeks of April and be ready to hang (if applicable). Artists are responsible for shipping, or drop-off/pick-up. Pick-up should occur by November 30, 2017.

Artists who show their work here are invited to sell originals, prints, and/or cards through us on consignment. Details are available on request.

We are always thrilled to arrange artist workshops at the Museum with our exhibitors. Please tell us if you are interested in this.

Please call or email Kir Talmage or Allison Gergely with any questions. We can be reached at 802 434-2167 or museum@birdsofvermont.org.

Need more inspiration? We found some — in numerals and nonsense, tesselation and tattoos, geometry and gaggles. Thanks to Google image search and some collaging from our staff:

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ORNAMENTAL FACES: Carving class

ORNAMENTAL FACES: Carving class Sat Nov 12 • 9–3 :
Santa! Wizard! Leprechaun! Carve and paint gnomish faces. Great for fun, gifts!